


Of Anti-Procrastination Shots and Non-Irish Dogs

by paperheartedghost



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Coffeeshop AU, M/M, Non-magic, University AU, just some fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-10
Updated: 2018-09-10
Packaged: 2019-07-10 18:41:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15955220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paperheartedghost/pseuds/paperheartedghost
Summary: Deadlines can make you do the most desperate things. Like ordering too much caffeine and texting that cute barista from the café around the corner.





	Of Anti-Procrastination Shots and Non-Irish Dogs

“A triple espresso with a sip of milk foam, please.” Remus felt incredibly exhausted and knew full well that he couldn’t afford to slack down. Not now.

The barista’s face changed from somewhat amused to rather worried. “You okay, dude? You always drink tea. I think I’ve never even seen you drink one of those 99% milk and 1 % coffee drinks.”

Remus sighed and forced a crooked smile, slightly surprised that the guy had seemed to notice him around. “I’m fine, just you know, desperate times and stuff and procrastinated papers.”

The barista nodded now slightly smiling with only a hint of frowning clouding his face. Nevertheless he started meddling with the coffee machine behind the counter.

Remus took a deep breath. He needed to calm down. At least emotionally. Coffee might not be helpful for this particular quest but it was – considering his situation – unavoidable. He was totally aware how much of a drama queen he was being but in this very moment he really couldn’t care less.

“There you go.” He was handed a paper cup. The barista told him the price and while Remus looked for the right change he added, “You know, I’m done here in a few. If you’d like to talk – and don’t get me wrong, but you seriously sound like you need to – I’m free.”

Remus really looked at him this time. With the next deep breath a wave of guilt finally flooded him. “I’m so sorry, I must look really messed up to you. I didn’t mean to worry you. I will be fine. Just having a minor existential crisis. Nothing that can’t be solved with your coffee here.” He raised the cup in his hand to emphasize his words and gave the guy his best reassuring smile.

It was tempting to just rant about everything but even in his momentary state of mind Remus knew better than to dump his emotional trash on a random stranger. Even if he was kind and had the darkest, most trustworthy eyes he’d ever seen. But Remus was really bad at judging people so for all he knew, the walking beauty over there could be a serial killer.

“Are you sure? You know, I wouldn’t mind. I’m a good listener.” He gave Remus a big, bright smile with this last comment as if there was some secret joke behind it.

Remus chuckled. The stranger had made him feel much more at ease already so there was no need to annoy him any longer, especially since he was probably looking forward to being done with work and going home. “Thank you! Really, thank you, but I’d rather not destroy your evening.”

“Well, at least let me give you my number in case you change your mind. You can call or text me any time you like, okay, sweetheart? And I’m pretty sure, there’s no way in hell you could destroy my evening.” He scribbled down his number on the back of the receipt he then handed Remus.

The touch of their hands made Remus’ heart flutter a little. Probably just his general state of mind. Remus was good at blaming every last uncommon event to that. Otherwise he’d had to admit that this guy did cause emotional turbulence and how cliché would that be. Even though he was indeed gorgeous and incredibly kind. And had all the right assets to make butterflies dart all through his stomach.

 

Back at home Remus got back to the essay that had been causing him all this drama. The caffein was about to kick in and he wouldn't waste a single second of the artificially created brain hyperactivity.

After another two nerve wracking hours he was finally done. With the essay, himself and the world in general. And apparently no less of a drama queen than before. Horrific.

Taking the empty paper cup in his hand he ran his fingers over the three hearts that the barista had drawn on it. He had noticed them when he was on the way back home and was almost done with the drink. Thank god, he’d noticed before he’d thrown it away. It made him smile. Again. He took a red marker of his and coloured in the left two hearts before putting it down next to his computer screen.

He fumbled for his phone in his pocket and pulled out the receipt the barista had handed him. With said guy’s phone number on it. And a name. ‘Sirius’. At least Remus assumed it was his name, because he ruled out the possibility that the barista just misspelled his emphasis of the seriousness of his phone number. Besides, who was he to judge weird-arse names.

He saved the number to his contacts and opened the messenger app.

_8:37 Hey there. It’s the espresso shot weirdo from earlier today. I just wanted to apologize – again – for freaking out. Thanks for taking pity on me though~_

_8:38 Hello, shotgun :) there’s really no need to apologize!_

_8:38 Shotgun?_

_8:39 Well, you're the guy with the espresso shots and you hit me right in the heart ;-)_

_8:39 Haha._

_Even though Remus typed the obviously sarcastic answer, it did make him go all warm and fuzzy again._

_8:41 So you’re better now? Or taking me up on the offer to listen?_

_8:42 Better actually, also thanks to you. And because I'm done with a nerve wrecking, heart stabbing baguette in the butt essay. But mostly because of you, obviously._

_8:43 I think I detect sarcasm there, but I might be wrong  
8:43 I am, after all, a delight to humanity_

 

Remus laughed out loud at this. Not your average snorting-out-more-air-than-usual kind of lol, but actually laughed wholeheartedly. This guy sure as hell had no issues with self-consciousness but Remus had to admit that he was, indeed, a delight, even if it was only to Remus’ life. Or maybe it was just the slowly releasing mental tension from a really long day. Who knew?  
He started typing a response when his phone began ringing and vibrating in his hands.

“Sirius.” Remus stated, the amusement still audible in his voice.  
“Hello there, shining beauty.” The voice on the other end sounded just as warmly smiling as Sirius had been behind the counter.  
“What’s with all those nicknames?” Remus cocked his head.  
“Well, I still don’t know your name and while ‘Moony’ is somewhat entertaining and accurate as your contact name in my phone – you know, because you're super pale but shining and beautiful – , I would love to hear the real one. No guarantee I stop with the nicknames though, mind you.”  
Sirius’ warm grin was audible even through the somewhat bad quality of his phone’s speakers.

“It’s Remus. The name, I mean.” Remus somewhat stumbled across the words.  
“Remus, huh?” Sirius sounded like he was trying on the name like you try on clothes. “What a coincidence. ‘Moony’ fits even better than expected then, doesn’t it?”  
Remus chuckled. In the background on Sirius side a dog barked. “You got a dog?”  
“Yeah, I mean he’s kinda the family dog but since I’m the only one home let’s say it’s my dog. Which is also why I was calling in the first place, by the way. I mean, obviously besides the reason, that I needed to know what to call you.” Sirius joked flirtatiously. “Which leads me to the next question. I assume you don’t live to far from the café and neither do I, so unless you’re absolutely done for the day and prefer to hibernate, would you care to accompany me and my precious baby on a walk?”

The thoughts in Remus’ head began racing the familiar rollercoaster of social situation assessment. He got to be kidding, right? Remus was just another strange weirdo who’d happened to stumble into his café now and then, why would he invite him. Was he a serial killer after all? Or really just a nice guy who genuinely didn’t want to be alone. Remus decided to take a chance. If this guy would kill him, he might at least release all those butterflies to freedom. They deserved it.

“Uhm, sure, I’d love to. Just tell me where and when and I’ll be on my way.” Remus got slightly lightheaded. This wasn’t exactly his usual way to pass the evening but whatever. You gotta make hay while the sun shines, right?

 

20 minutes later, Remus was standing at the corner of the little café they’d agreed on as a meeting point. It was already dark and Remus stood fairly far in the shadows to hide from everyone who wasn’t Sirius. Then he heard the familiar voice apparently talking to the still unfamiliar dog who - surprisingly - didn’t respond. There were more pressing matters for a dog.

Remus stepped out of the shadows when the dog and Sirius rounded the corner. The dog’s hair was just as black and long and soft looking as Sirius’ and they both had a goofy smile plastered all over their faces. “They say dog and owners tend to look alike but you two really take the crown,” Remus commented.

“You really came!” Sirius beamed. “I wasn't so sure, since, you know, you might’ve taken me for a cereal killer or something.”  
Ha, how right he was. Remus kneeled down to bury his hands in the dogs fur which was just as fluffy as it looked. “I did consider the possibility indeed but decided your face is worth the risk. Besides, no bad person could possibly have such a cute and fluffy dog. So I guess I made the right choice.”

This made Sirius laugh. “Speaking of which, may I introduce you two? Paddy – Moony, Moony – Paddy.”  
The dog pressed his head into Remus’ body. “You’re dog is really called Paddy? Is he Irish or something?”

Sirius barked out a laugh and scratched his neck. “Actually, his name used to be Padfoot, but for some reason my dearest flat mates noticed a certain resemblance as well and started calling me Padfoot instead, so to not confuse Paddy, we shortened his name. He seems to be dealing well.”  
“I like your flat mates already,” Remus responded grinning.  
“You say that now, but you haven’t met them yet. You might wanna change your mind later.”

Remus smiled at the insinuation that Sirius apparently considered introducing him to his friends without even knowing him. This guy did have a certain charm to him and Remus seemed to fall for it head over heals.

They started walking next to each other while the casual flirtatious bantering continued. Remus learned that Sirius was the co-owner of the little café, that his flat mates were basically his family – hence the family dog – and that they had opened the café together during their first semesters at university because of a bet and it was running better than any of them expected. Especially since they had hired someone, who basically ran everything important there now.

He also noticed that Sirius, though he joked about any- and everything, cared enormously about his best friends and apparently would do anything for them. Also, Sirius surely knew how to make someone feel comfortable. He didn’t ask to many questions about Remus’ half-break down earlier and instead seemed seriously interested in his life, friends, dreams and everything in between and kept asking questions about pretty much anything else. Not to mention his bloody contagious laugh which sounded so much like a bark and which made it easy for Remus to laugh along.

Remus told him in return about his best and currently pretty much only friend Lily, their journalism major and his fairly average family. He accidentally even let a hint slip about his less than shining mental condition but with Sirius it came so easy he decided not to feel queasy about it. On top of that, he didn’t seem to judge Remus for it. Sure, the occasional feeling-sorry-for-him flashed across his face but that was something Remus could deal with. Overall Sirius just made him feel accepted.

When they arrived back at the little café Remus felt a sting. He wanted this night to continue forever but they both had to get up early the next day and he caught himself yawning uncontrollably already.

Sirius fell silent for a moment, looked at the floor and then back up at Remus. Uncharacteristically coy he said, “I really enjoyed this. Would you like to repeat this some time soon?”

Remus beamed. “I would love that!”

They hesitantly said goodnight before parting ways each heading to their own bed. Remus felt like a balloon was about to burst in his chest, extremely light but at the same time it was hard to breath, though for a change it felt pleasant. Good, even.

Before he said goodbye to consciousness completely he heard his phone buzz again.

_11:38 I meant to ask this before but totally forgot_   
_11:39 What did you mean with baguette in the butt?_

_Remus grinned in the darkness._

_11:41 Right, sorry, Lily infected me with that... I meant to say pain in the arse..._

**Author's Note:**

> So I read this post about weird barista experiences and this kinda popped into my head. Not entirely happy with it, but I wanted to get something out there for once.


End file.
